Police shift focus to 2 businesses in midnight shooting

With two people in the hospital and four men behind bars, investigators will look at what role, if any, two downtown establishments played in Sunday’s chaos on the pedestrian mall.

Zack Creglow

With two people in the hospital and four men behind bars, investigators will look at what role, if any, two downtown establishments played in Sunday’s chaos on the pedestrian mall.

Police say they witnessed Martin D. Love, 24, of Rockford repeatedly fire a handgun into a crowd of 200 who gathered outside Paragon on State, 205 W. State St. After a foot chase, he was arrested for aggravated discharge and unlawful use of weapons by a felon.

Tasha Jackson, 29, suffered an arm wound, and Ivery Croom, 24, was hit in the left forearm and left leg. The incident happened around 12:30 a.m.

Jackson was listed in good condition Sunday evening. Hospital officials declined to comment on Croom’s health, but his injuries were considered nonlife-threatening.

Police still are investigating any possible connections between the victims and Love.

"We were only able to interview (the victims) for a limited time before they were taken off to surgery," Deputy Chief Greg Lindmark said Sunday. "It appears (Love) had an ongoing dispute with people who were there."

Three other Rockford men who drove Croom to the hospital were arrested after firearms were found in their vehicle. Tyreece M. Ford, James A. Edwards and Steven L. Wright, along with Love, are being held on $500,000 bond each.

More arrests could be made as the investigation continues, Lindmark said, and charges could be upgraded if warranted.

Attempts to contact Paragon’s owner were unsuccessful.

Police were called to the scene before the shooting after a downtown business owner called about a large crowd congregating on the mall. Once there, officers said they witnessed Love fire his handgun into the crowd.

The action was caught by a video crew working on a documentary about a local rap group. The video shows muzzle flashes as six or seven shots are fired. The video, which contains graphic language, was posted Sunday afternoon at YouTube.com.

The city’s legal department and the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office are investigating whether Paragon, which hired private security for the show, and other bars downtown were responsible, in part, for the shootings, Lindmark said.

A nearby establishment, Kryptonite, 308 W. State St., also featured a hip-hop act Saturday night.

Police said they were unsure whether Love or the shooting victims attended either show.

If a bar allows someone inside, they are partly responsible for that person’s action, while they are inside the establishment or in its proximity, Lindmark said.

"Based on our investigation, (the legal departments) look at what sort of violations may have occurred," he said. "It is the bar’s responsibility to provide safety and welfare for what occurs there before and after."

Staff writer Zack Creglow can be reached at 815-987-1376 or zcreglow@rrstar.com.